Danse de L'Amour
by the waffle
Summary: High school is hard enough without having it be the prestigious Dance School of Konoha. What with that, her childhood friend proclaiming his love for her, her best friend dating the star danseur, and her crush warming to her, how will Ino cope? [ShikaIno]
1. Chapitre Un

AN: This entire story is dedicated to my friend Jade, who died in hospital last night. God speed.

* * *

"And then he said to me, 'Look Ino, troublesome as it is, I love you.' Can you believe that?" said one Ino Yamanaka as she pulled on her pointe shoes.

Sakura Haruno looked at Ino incredulously. "Are you sure he really said that?"

"He really said that! I heard him with my own two ears!"

Sakura pulled on her own pointe shoes and asked "But why would Shikamaru, of all people, say that?"

Ino stood up and placed her hands on her hips, "So you think I'm not loveable?" she said with a grin.

Sakura grinned too. "I didn't mean it that way! But, you and Shikamaru have been friends for years! And, no offence Ino, but I didn't think you were Shikamaru's type."

"Neither did I," shrugged Ino.

"So," said Sakura as she too stood up, "what did you do about it?"

Ino opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Kurenai-sensei instructing them all to line up at the barre.

* * *

"So dude, did you tell her?" Kiba Inuzuka asked Shikamaru Nara, whose head was resting against his desktop. The reply was muffled.

Kiba sat down next to Shikamaru. "What?"

Shikamaru lifted up his head. "Yes, I did tell her. It was very troublesome."

"Why? What did she do?"

"She—" Shikamaru was interrupted by the teacher, "I'm sure, to you, that your love lives are very interesting. But they have nothing to do with what we're currently working on. So shut up."

Kiba began to protest, this was important information he needed to hear! Then Shikamaru shot him a look, and thankfully he shut up.

After class, Shikamaru left quickly to go to lunch. Kiba caught up to him. "So? What happened when you told her you loved her? Although sometimes I have a hard time believing that, you sure don't act like it."

Shikamaru sighed. "She said she didn't love me."

"And that's it? She just went 'I don't love you.'?

When they reached their table, Shikamaru pulled his bag off and dumped it on the chair beside him. "Well, no. But that's the gist of it. It's too troublesome to tell you any more."

"Oh, come _on._ You can't just leave me in the dark," Kiba groaned.

"Yes, I can. Now I'm going to get my lunch. Do you want anything?"

* * *

"Hey, Sakura," Ino lightly touched her friend's arm, "can we stay here for lunch? I feel kind of guilty about Shikamaru."

Sakura smiled pityingly at her friend, "Sure Ino. I don't mind. But you'll have to face him at some point."

Ino smiled too. "Great. I'll just get our lunches from our lockers," she said, pointedly ignoring the last sentence.

* * *

Ino smiled at the picture of her and Shikamaru together in her locker. She really hoped they could still be friends.

She walked back to the dance studio and saw Sasuke talking to Sakura. That was strange enough, he never spoke to _anyone_, never mind one of his 'fangirls', but what was even stranger was that he was _blushing and stammering. What's up with him?_ Ino wondered. Sakura was grinning manically, but that was the usual when Sasuke was about. He was hot _and _the star danseur, so people did that lot around him.

Ino walked up to the two, and latched herself onto Sasuke's arm, "Hi Sasuke!"

"Hey! Get your hands off my boyfriend!" said Sakura, grinning.

Ino blinked once, then again. Sasuke slowly detached himself from Ino's grip. He backed away slowly, and then scurried from the room.

"B-b-boyfriend? Sasuke's your boyfriend? Did I hear right?"

Sakura nodded slowly. She would have to tread carefully; she didn't want Ino to blow up. She was scary when she was angry. "Yes, Sasuke's my boyfriend. He asked me to be his girlfriend just there."

Her eyes wide, Ino was silent for a few moments, before bursting out with "Sakura! That's great! You and Sasuke will make such a cute couple."

Surprised and quivering, Sakura asked "You're not mad?"

"Mad? No, of course not! Why would I be mad?"

Sakura scratched her cheek, "Well, y'know, you've had a crush on Sasuke for a long time..."

"Crush? On Sasuke? Of course I haven't! I was pretending so you would get your lazy butt in gear!"

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I have a crush on someone else."

Sakura squealed, "Oh my God! Who?!"

"Well, you know that guy who's really good at art? Sai?" Ino blushed.

Sakura wrinkled her nose. "You have a crush on Sai?"

"Yes, what's wrong with that?"

Sakura shook her head and sighed wearily. "Nothing. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Good. Can we eat our lunch now?"

"Sure."

* * *

"Troublesome."

"What's troublesome?" Kiba asked.

"Ino's avoiding me," Shikamaru said, "tch, troublesome woman."

"Huh? You don't see her one lunchtime, and you automatically assume she's avoiding you?" Kiba shook his head.

Shikamaru blushed, "It's not like that. She _always _has lunch here with me-you didn't notice she was always here? Anyway, that, coupled with the fact that I told her my feelings makes it very likely that she's avoiding me," he groaned and plonked his head on the table.

"Duuude," pulling out the word, Kiba patted him on the back, "that sucks." Then he took a bite of his sandwich.

Shikamaru lifted his head slightly and glared at Kiba. "You should be trying to help me!"

Kiba shrugged and swallowed, "What do you expect _me _to do?"

"Think of something!"

"_You're _the smart one! _You _think of something!"

"Yes, I am the smart one, but I'm at my wit's end-why else do you think I would be asking _you _for help?"

Kiba looked affronted, and also slightly hurt. "No need to take your anger out on me."

Shikamaru sighed and let his head drop again. "Sorry."

"Yeah, well, anyway. Lucky for you, I _do _have an idea. A pretty good one, if I say so myself!"

Sitting up, Shikamaru said hopefully, "Yeah? What is it?"

* * *

AN: If people are angry that I'm writing this instead of updating my other fics, then GET OVER IT. I'm only writing this 'cause Jade really wanted me to, and I feel obliged. I'm really not in the mood for people's crap.

This should be read while listening to Belle & Sebastian.

And if you're going to review, don't be nice 'cause you feel obliged. If you think it sucks, tell me, okay? Thanks.

This is not going to go on indefinetely, like my other stories, I already have a clear end in sight, and it'll be about 5-10 chapters long.

If anyone's wondering about the title, it's in French 'cause a lot of ballet terms are French. Also, the title sucks, and looks better in French, okay?

Oh, HinataInuzuka, I'm sorry I didn't send it to you first, but I wanted to get the first chap up as soon as possible. You'll definetely get the second chapter first though, so don't worry.

And I just realised people will be confused about the school thing. Right, well, let me explain it. Shikamaru and Ino both go to Konoha High School. But attched to that is the Dance School of Konoha, which Ino goes to as well. Instead of going to some classes (like RMPS and Gym and junk) she does Dance, or Singing. Get what I mean? It's based on my school, Name Secondary School, and the Dance School of Scotland. If you don't get what I mean, just ask, and I'll explain in more detail, if it totally confuses you, and detracts from the story. Also, if any ballet terms confuse you, you can ask about them as well.

As always, please review!

Obviously that's not my school name, but like hell I'm gonna put the real thing up on the Internet.


	2. Chapitre Deux

AN: So... Here's Chapitre Deux!

Oh, and since I forgot in the first chapter, here it is:

I do not own Naruto, it belongs to somebody who isn't me (y'all know who)

* * *

"You have to become like Ino's crush!" 

Shikamaru sat in silence. He blinked. Kiba grinned, _it truly is a great idea,_ he thought.

"Well?" he said, "It's brilliant, right?"

Shikamaru scowled. "That has to be _the _single most stupid thing I _ever _heard."

Now it was Kiba's turn to be silent and blink.

"What?" Shikamaru asked, "It _is _pretty stupid. Besides, it'd be _way _too troublesome to pull off."

"Oh fine. I was just trying to help. And it's not _that _stupid. If you acted like Ino's crush, then it'd make sense that she'd start crushing on _you_. Right?"

Shikamaru grumbled. "It does make some sort of sense, I guess."

Kiba grinned again. "See? I'm brilliant."

Shikamaru snorted.

* * *

Sakura finished the last bite of her lunch and turned to Ino. Ino glanced at her, "Uh-oh. I know that look," she giggled, "so what is it?" sighed Ino. 

Sakura bit her lip, "Well, you know about Sai…"

Lightly blushing, and sighing dreamily, Ino said "Yeah. Isn't he just awesomely awesome?"

"Well, about that. Maybe he isn't as 'awesomely awesome' as you think."

"Of course! You're totally right, Sakura," Sakura perked up, "he's even _more_ awesomely awesome than I first thought."

Her shoulders slumped, Sakura said "That isn't what I meant. I've heard, y'know, stuff…about him. Not nice stuff."

Her eyes going wide, Ino began to laugh, much to Sakura's dismay. "Oh don't be silly Sakura." And she walked off to put her lunch box away.

Sakura sighed. Love truly did make people blind, deaf and dumb.

* * *

The bell had just gone for fifth period and Shikamaru was making his way to his next class, English. It was a class he _truly _hated, even more so that Gym. English wasn't about being right or wrong, it was about ideas, concepts and imagination. 

That was why he hated it. He was getting Bs. It didn't bother him, but it infuriated his mother. Troublesome woman. The only people to get As were Sai and Ino. "Be more like Ino," his mother told him. Did she want him to dye his hair blonde and wear mini-skirts then? Wasn't it enough he loved the stupid twit?

He sat down in his seat and got out his equipment, and then Kiba came barrelling into the class. What was he doing here? He had disappeared halfway through lunch, and he wasn't even in this class.

"Shikamaru! There you are!" Kiba exclaimed.

"Troublesome," he muttered, "where else would I be?"

Kiba ignored the question and cried "I found out who Ino has a crush on!"

Shikamaru sat up a bit straighter. "Well go on. Who is it?"

Kiba leaned in to whisper "Well, Ino told Sakura who told Sasuke who told Naruto who told Chouji who was going to tell _you _but he told me first that it's _Sai _she has a crush on." Then he sucked in a great big breath.

Shikamaru, who was planning on acting impassive, felt himself go slack-jawed.

"Weird, huh? Anyway, I got to go now, see you later!" Then he left. Left Shikamaru in his pain and misery.

* * *

Ino came skidding back into the studio Sasuke had just vacated after hearing what Sakura had told him about Ino's _real _crush. 

"Sakura! I have to go to English next!"

Sakura looked at her friend strangely, "Yeah, so what?"

Frantically Ino said "I sit next to Shikamaru-I can't face him right now!"

"Is that it? What are you so stressed about? Anyway, we have Singing together next."

"Are you sure? Thank God!" She collapsed into a chair.

Sakura had a strange smirk on her face as a thought entered her head. "Ino, why are you feeling so guilty about Shikamaru?"

* * *

AN: Sorry that it's a bit shorter, but I thought that was a good place to end the chapter. Anyone know what Sakura's getting at? P

And about updating my other stories... They're kind of on hold for now. There're some other things I want to write first, and I keep getting bogged down in writing them, and it's getting a bit stressed, so hopefully you'll forgive me.

As always, please review!


	3. Chapitre Trois

AN: The third chapter! Woohoo! I have nothing more to say, so...

* * *

A few days later Shikamaru had to admit that Kiba's idea was sounding better by the minute. Watching Ino flirt with that…that thing was sickening and pretty humiliating. Especially as people gave him sly little sympathetic glances every time it happened. The lazy boy assumed Kiba had told everybody about how he felt about Ino. What he didn't know was how _obvious_ it was to everyone.

* * *

Sakura was (not really) listening to Ino jabber on about Sai. She really felt very sorry for Shikamaru. Now that she thought about it more, Ino and Shikamaru were the _perfect _couple. Ino could motivate the lazy boy, and Shikamaru would always listen to Ino's complaints and commands. It would be too troublesome to do otherwise. 

Sakura jerked out of her reverie when she heard her name being said. Ino was looking at her expectantly. "Um…" sweat beaded Sakura's forehead, "Yes?"

Ino's face turned confused, then annoyed. "I asked how you and Sasuke were. Why weren't you listening?"

"I was just thinking about Shikamaru."

"What? Why?" Ino said possessively.

"Well, I was thinking of what a good couple you'd make… You'd be perfect for each other…"

Ino choked and went scarlet. "W-what?! That's ridiculous!"

Sakura shook her head. "Not really." She stood up and stretched. "Shouldn't we be going to class now? You have Math, right?"

Ino nodded stiffly, and walked away.

Sakura giggled discreetly behind her hand. Ino was so easy to read. She had a thing for Shikamaru, that much was obvious. But what about her strange obsession with Sai? What was _that _all about? Then Sakura had a thought. Maybe Ino was deluding herself into thinking she had a crush on Sai instead of Shikamaru. But why though? She _knew for a fact _that Shikamaru loved her. Ino was one strange girl.

* * *

In class, sitting behind Sakura, Shikamaru and Kiba were having a whispered conversation. Sakura couldn't hear them properly, but she caught words like "plan", "stupid" and "Sai". After hearing this last word, she tried to lean back to hear more, but Shikamaru stopped her by saying "Kiba, shut up. Sakura's trying to eavesdrop." 

Sakura frowned and grunted. She turned around to face the two boys and said "I know you've got a plan, which has something to do with Sai. So I'm assuming it's to do with Ino as well."

Shikamaru crossed his arms. "And why would you assume that?"

"I may not be a genius like you, Shikamaru, but I'm not an idiot like Kiba either."

Kiba huffed, and Shikamaru decided it wouldn't matter if he told Sakura Kiba's 'brilliant' plan. "Kiba thinks that if I start to act more like Sai, Ino'll have a crush on me, instead of the _real _Sai."

Sakura thought about it for a couple of seconds, biting her lip. "Kiba, I may have to take back what I said about you being an idiot, 'cause that plan's GENIUS!"

Kiba flushed with pride while Shikamaru pulled his hand down his face. "It's not genius. It's _insane_."

Sakura just glared at Shikamaru, who put up his hands in a placating gesture. "Alright, alright. Fine. What makes his plan so good?"

Sakura waved her hand dismissively. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. Just be sure that it is."

"See, Shikamaru? What did I tell you?" Kiba said triumphantly.

"Pfft. Fine then. This plan'll go on. But Sakura'll need to help, I don't trust you to do it right."

"I'll be happy to help. Trust me Shikamaru. I know what I'm doing."

* * *

Ino walked quickly into the classroom and accidentally knocked someone's books over. She muttered a quick "Sorry" and stooped down to pick them up. Straightening, she came face to face with Sai. Ino felt a blush slowly creeping up her face as she quickly began to stutter "Sorry Sai! I-it was…y'know…a-an accident! I'm really sorry!"

Sai chuckled and Ino felt his warm (and minty fresh, just as she expected it to be) breath wash over her face. She sighed dreamily. "It's okay. I know it was only an accident."

She flushed and coughed, standing up to go to her seat.

"Hey. Ino." She turned to look at him. He was smiling warmly at her. "Look, I heard that you've a bit of a crush on me…"

Ino's eyes widened in embarrassment and she groaned "Oh God…"

"Oh, no! It's nothing bad! I was just wondering if it was true."

Ino nodded and said faintly "Yes, it's true."

Sai grinned wider. "That's great! Do you want to go on a date sometime next week?"

* * *

AN: OoOoOoOo... Sai (with his minty fresh breath) and Ino are going on a date! I don't consider that a spoiler, since you all knew she was going to say yes anyway. Right? 

But, we have Sakura to save the day! Go Sakura!

Oh... I have a question to ask everyone! If I wrote a fanfic set in Scotland (like in Glasgow, or something) would you all still read it? Of course it'll be ShikaIno. I mean, what else would I write? xD So, would you still read it? 'Cause I find it easier writing that particular fic if it's set in Britain. And of course, I'll explain all the British-isms in it. Please let me know in your review. That's one more reason to review!

So, please, review. It makes me so happy.


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